My Philosophy
Over
the years, many individuals have had a huge impact on my thinking and practice - from my parents to my teachers in practical farming and in academia, to those
I read and studied about from books, film and internet. Nature herself has taught
me more than I can recount. My own life, has taught me much as well. To simplify, I
have brought together a few principles that are at the core of my philosophy –
both personal and professional.
My observation is that the greatest problem facing our industrial and
technological age is the mental separation between self (one can also say
spirit or spiritual ecology) and ecology (specifically the natural ecology). This separation leads to the excesses that the environmental movement has sought to remediate. In reality, the
spiritual and natural ecologies are one. The separation is purely in our mode
of thinking. A change of perspective in our mode of thinking about the spiritual and natural ecology can lead to a renewal of our relationship to nature and to our practices.
For my specifically agricultural philosophy and practice, please check out the "Biodynamics" pages and the "Farming" pages...
Some of my initial thoughts on both the natural and spiritual ecologies:
Four Principles of Natural Ecology
1. The wholeness (oneness, togetherness, interconnectedness) of all things and beings;
2. All things and beings are in a process of development;
3. All things and beings come from, seek to be in or seek to return into a system of integrity;
4. The search for harmonious, dynamic and integrated balance is the fundamental aspect of systems of integrity including the immune systems of all beings and ecological systems.
Four Principles of Spiritual Ecology
1. An ever-present awareness of the sacredness of all things and beings;
2. Non-Judgementalism towards all things and beings;
3. The search for real harmony within one's self and with all things and beings;
4. The ongoing effort towards an authentic, practical selflessness with all things and beings.
Some further thoughts on spiritual ecology...
Sacredness
Sacredness,
as a philosophy, leads to a life dedicated to peace, dignity and healing.
All
things, all creatures, all beings are in fact sacred, as they make up a part of
this miracle of life on Earth.
Being
mindful of sacredness requires no particular philosophy or religion, but is at
the same time compatible with all philosophies and religions. Indeed,
sacredness is compatible with science, if the scientist is mindful of the
real sacredness of all things. Mindfulness
of the sacred and of sacredness as an experience of life, even more than just as a philosophy - requires a new relation to one’s own body, soul and spirit – and to
that of every being, every part of the universe. It requires a new look, a new orientation.
Non-Judgementalism
Judging
others (and one’s self) is probably the single greatest hindrance to a
philosophy of sacredness. Finding the good in all things, in all beings, is not
a relinquishing of the curious or critical mind, but a foundation for seeing
the sacred present even in the middle of chaotic conditions. Sacredness is not
a state of perfection, but a state of value. Judgementalism is an unnecessary
devaluation of being. Exercising non-judgementalism offers peace of mind,
dignity for all and the basis for healing.
Non-judgementalism
leads to a deeper appreciation of the real conditions in our surrounding and to
a healthy evaluation. Non-judgementalism is the very precondition for accurate
evaluations and accurate evaluations are the basis of accurate diagnosis and successful therapies for all sorts of conditions in nature and in humans, even for human society.
Harmony
Life
is not always harmonious. This is basic human experience. It is also basic
experience that perfect harmony is hard to achieve, perhaps not even always
necessary. However, health and happiness, productivity and resilience all
depend to a high degree on harmony. Harmony is the balance of all things,
energies and consciousness. Studying, sensing, manifesting harmony is the
foundation of non-judgemenatlism and sacredness.
Selflessness
Selflessness
is the scent of the sacred. The more we achieve real selflessness - not
pretending to be holy, but letting go of all that is not necessary for honoring
the sacred, being non-judgemental and living in harmony - the more we also fulfill the process of
maturation and individualization. Indeed, this paradox – relinquishing the “personal” self in favor of the “individual” self – is at the very heart of a culture of peace,
dignity and healing. The personal self is the selfish part of us that is all (sometimes only) about our own needs and gain. The individual self is the part of us that has matured beyond the merely personal to a focus on serving others. One cannot serve, if one is not whole and healthy, but serving only the personal self is egotism and in the end leads to unhealthy, self-destructive and generally destructive behaviors. Overcoming the personal self and striving to be a fully conscious, free individual means, by definition a focus on service beyond our personal needs.
In terms of agriculture and
farming…
Finding
a personal relationship to a philosophy of sacredness, non-judgementalism,
harmony and selflessness – leads to a wish to serve the earth and all its
creatures, to serve our fellow humans. Agriculture and producing products is no longer only about us, no longer only about making a living or enjoying the fruits of the land, but it is about healing and helping, about serving a healthy future and creating conditions of ecological and spiritual wealth for generations to come.
In the following pages, I will describe more about the philosophical and practical principles and practices that I have come to experience as necessary for farming and gardening. These are my very own principles and practices that I do my best to live, teach and use in my agricultural practice - in the sense that I take responsibility for their value and effect in my life and work. The errors, in other words, are my own too.
Most of these principles and practices I have, however, in some fashion gleaned from others - I have learned, experienced and studied from and through others, thus calling them "my own" a bit of a risky matter. However, I have made them my own by degrees and through personal and professional experience of over 35 years working with agriculture - and adding and subtracting along the way. In the end, one is responsible individually for one's thoughts, words, feelings and actions.